It has been fascinating to observe the evolution of Air Serbia. The airline was based in its present type in 2013, as a three way partnership between the federal government of Serbia (51% stake) and Etihad Airways (49% stake). As Etihad developed its technique, it progressively decreased its stake within the Serbian nationwide provider, and as of 2023, Etihad absolutely minimize ties with Air Serbia.
Serbia’s authorities has remained invested within the airline, and has continued to develop Air Serbia. The airline is predicted to double its lengthy haul fleet in 2024, after which double it as soon as once more within the coming years (or quadruple it, in comparison with present numbers), as flagged by EX-YU Aviation Information.
Air Serbia will function a number of extra Airbus A330s
Within the coming months, Air Serbia is planning on growing its Airbus A330 fleet from two to 4 jets, doubling the provider’s lengthy haul capability. Each airline executives and authorities officers have confirmed the plans, and have introduced that the airline intends so as to add these two extra A330s to its fleet.
These plane ought to be part of Air Serbia’s fleet in July 2024 and September 2024, and so they’ll then have to endure some work earlier than getting into service. Air Serbia is choosing up former Etihad A330-200s, that includes 262 seats, together with 22 enterprise class seats and 240 financial system seats. Particularly, Air Serbia is choosing up a pair of 10-year-old Airbus A330s that originally had the registration codes A6-EYT and A6-EYU.
Etihad retired its complete A330 fleet in recent times, and lots of of those planes have began flying for different airways.
Even past that, Air Serbia’s 5 12 months plan requires the airline to extend its A330 fleet all the best way as much as eight plane, in order that’s fairly a powerful growth. In fact we’ll see if that plan sticks, since there are many components that may impression a provider’s growth plans.
For some context on Air Serbia’s present Airbus A330 fleet:
- In April 2021, the airline took supply of an A330-200 with the license plate YU-ARB; this plane first began flying in 2008 for Aeroflot
- In November 2022, the airline took supply of an A330-200 with the license plate YU-ARC; this plane first began flying for South African Airways in 2011
Previous to that, from 2016 till 2021, Air Serbia flew a special Airbus A330-200 with the license plate YU-ARA, which first began flying for Jet Airways in 2007. This plane was leased by means of Etihad, provided that on the time, Etihad had a stake in each Air Serbia and Jet Airways.
The rationale the airline swapped one plane for one more was as a result of it may get extra favorable lease phrases on these planes. You’ll be able to learn my overview of Air Serbia’s enterprise class right here.
The truth that Air Serbia is now choosing up two extra former Etihad A330s is a coincidence, and has nothing to do with the previous relationship between the businesses. In spite of everything, these planes have completely different homeowners now.
How Air Serbia will develop lengthy haul flights
Evidently Air Serbia is solely centered on the USA and China on the subject of lengthy haul service. At the moment the airline flies to:
- Chicago (ORD) — 2x weekly in winter, 3x weekly in summer time
- New York (JFK) — 3x weekly in winter, 7x weekly in summer time
- Tianjin (TSN) — 2x weekly in winter, 1x weekly in summer time
So, what are Air Serbia’s plans with the extra Airbus A330s? Most instantly, the airline intends so as to add flights to Guangzhou (CAN) and Shanghai (PVG). The Guangzhou route is predicted to launch in September 2024, with 2x weekly frequencies, whereas we don’t but have an actual date for the Shanghai route.
Moreover, Air Serbia has additionally revealed that it plans to launch flights to Miami (MIA) as of 2025, and that appears to be the provider’s subsequent vacation spot in the USA.
Past including new locations, Air Serbia hopes to supply greater than day by day service to New York in summer time, and likewise needs to have sufficient spare plane to have the ability to carry out unscheduled upkeep with out the operation completely falling aside.
A couple of ideas on how Air Serbia is evolving:
- It’s good to see the airline seemingly succeeding on its New York route, to the purpose that greater than day by day frequencies are deliberate in summer time; then once more, filling planes throughout the Atlantic in summer time is kind of simple
- Since Air Serbia isn’t within the European Union, the airline is uniquely positioned to supply flights to and from Russia, so I’m shocked that’s not being exploited extra when it comes to the community (since there’s no have to fly from Russia to China through Serbia)
- Air Serbia’s China service is attention-grabbing, and appears to largely be about cargo demand, plus the 2 international locations having a mutual visa free journey settlement (Serbia is likely one of the few international locations in Europe that doesn’t require visas for Chinese language nationals)
- Does anybody absolutely perceive Air Serbia’s China service? Is it about cargo, about shut enterprise ties, or simply about serving precise passenger demand? As a result of if in case you have the choice to fly mainly wherever on this planet, it’s stunning that Tianjin can be your first vacation spot after New York…
I’d be fascinated to understand how Air Serbia is actually doing financially. As a result of the airline is authorities owned, we don’t have a real sense of the corporate’s financials. Is Air Serbia truly being profitable, or is the provider’s progress extra about increasing the financial system in Serbia?
Backside line
Air Serbia is tremendously increasing its lengthy haul fleet. The airline plans to accumulate two extra Airbus A330s within the coming months, which will probably be former Etihad A330s. Then within the subsequent 5 years, Air Serbia plans to accumulate 4 extra A330s.
The airline at the moment flies to Chicago, New York, and Tianjin, and can quickly add service to Guangzhou and Shanghai, earlier than increasing to Miami in 2025, plus including extra seasonal flights to New York. I’m curious to see how this plan evolves.
What do you make of Air Serbia buying extra Airbus A330s?
